Cebu Normal University (CNU) partnered with Base Camp Emergency Response Team (BCERT), Inc. to establish and equip its own Emergency Response Team (ERT) in preparation for any emergency incidents in the University.
BCERT is a non-profit search and rescue group founded by Joseph Inosante and Paul Morris that provides trainings on disaster preparedness. They also give assistance during an emergency or an aftermath of a calamity locally and nationally. Members of the group have also been invited as resource speakers in one of the trainings in the University and have been instrumental in forming the CNU ERT.
CNU ERT was formally established last July this year after Lloyd Vincent Derasin, College of Nursing (CN) instructor joined BCERT and was able to motivate a group of his students to apply also. Derasin then became CNU ERT Coordinator and together with his students embarked on a mission of forming CNU ERT which aims to protect Normalites in times of disaster and emergency.
CNU ERT started with six members, two of which are nursing alumnae and four are current nursing students. Together, they became BCERT’s junior strike team called Charlie.
Jade Mikaela Agot, 2nd year BS Nursing student and CNU ERT Operations Head said, “Since kami tanan kay gikan man CNU (Since all of us are from CNU), we all pledged to help out in forming CNU ERT, mao na kami pioneers (that is why we became pioneers).”
According to Derasin, student organizations from other colleges had actually made an effort in establishing an ERT like the Council of Liberal Arts and Sciences Students (CLASS) who acted as paremedics during last year’s intramurals. However, CNU ERT envisioned of having a university-wide ERT composed of the student body. Thus, after calling a meeting with the different college student councils, a unified group was then created.
CNU ERT now has 44 applicants who come from all colleges of the University. Derasin said that the screening process is thorough and it really takes time to become a certified member of the group. Interested members should be committed to attend the trainings to equip them with the salient capabilities to successfully take on the responsibility.
BCERT has continually supported CNU ERT through the different partner trainings they give including Basic First Aid (BFA), Basic Life Support (BLS), vital signs training, and different simulation activities. BCERT has also donated equipment to the school and has shared their rescue tools during the Equipment Static Display that was held last September 30 to October 1, 2019.
BCERT has also assisted during the University’s Institutional Earthquake Drill this October and on the Intramurals week with CNU ERT, and CNU Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) as the medical team.
CNU ERT and BCERT are now training other scouting units from other schools. (JDF)
